Success in Stewardship

Yesterday, Preacher Mike preached about stewardship and it inspired me to blog about it and take my own approach to it... Enjoy! :)

In Luke 6:38 we read, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.” God gives you the ability to produce wealth, you must see your opportunity and acknowledge that everything comes from God.

Many think, “well,.. my situation is financially trying as well and .. .. ..” AND for those of you who catch yourself saying that, let me be the one to tell you. My family has been greatly blessed by the stewardship of this community, especially our amazing church family. Both have went above and beyond to help us through this past year of trials and triumphs. Many of them, didn’t think twice about going to the extreme to help us.

I am not saying the next time someone cries on your shoulder, run to the bank and drain your savings with no questions asked! I know that every dollar counts in a time when you have no money and are not exactly sure where your next dollar is going to come from. “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God love a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7  

What I am trying to say is God will put you in a position to be a steward and give! When the opportunity arises give what you heart prompts you to give, give according to your ability and honor God with wealth.   

One thing that many don’t realize is you must care for yourself in order to be ABLE to care for others. Whether that be physically, mentally, or financially able—you need to have yourself together before you try and put yourself in the position to be a successful steward. There is no success if anyone suffers from your blessings, including yourself (you know, the person we all seem to leave out).

Paul was like a father to his protégé, Timothy. He was most concerned with Timothy looking after himself. “Stop drinking only water and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.” (1 Timothy 5:23) With safe drinking water difficult to find, Paul urged the young pastor to drink some wine to keep himself in decent shape. He didn’t think that caring for our physical bodies was a waste of time or a vanity. On the contrary, maintaining our physical health is an important part of maintaining our spiritual health. Paul wanted to see Timothy flourish, and in flourishing, to serve others more effectively.

How would you rate your job at taking care of yourself?

 Does your level of rest or fitness hold you back from anything God wants you to do?

What is the relationship between physical and spiritual health?

What are your natural talents? “Each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, and another has that.” (1 Corinthians 7:7) God gives skills and ability. (“God given talent”) Different people are blessed with different gifts, do not neglect your gift. Utilize your skills and ability to its’ full potential, reach for the skies!!  What blessings has God given you? Say you got a promotion at work, bought a new house or earned your PhD. God had blessed you! Now what are you going to do with that blessing? God made David king so that he could bless God’s people. God expects us to use what we’ve been given to help others too. Why did God bless you? Perhaps you got a raise so you could give more generously to a ministry. Perhaps he gave you a home so you could welcome others into it. Only when you look beyond yourself will you be able to see God’s greater purpose. “And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.” (2 Samuel 5:12)

Based on how you spend your time, what would an outside observer conclude your highest priorities are in life? Ask yourself, what are some realistic, practical ways to make God your highest priority? As you get older, life gets more complicated. Demands on your time and attention continue to mount, and there’s never enough time or energy in the day to get everything accomplished, right? Do you find yourself longing for a simpler life? When all is said and done, the focus of your life should be to love God and love others. Do the things that fill your heart, life and schedule reflect those priorities? By discovering and focusing your energy on what God considers most important, you begin to find clarity and purpose for each day of your life. What changes do you need to make in how you spend your time? When considering my priorities I like to focus on the unseen and consider loss for the sake of Christ. Always remember, faith expressed through love is what counts.

“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Timothy 6:6

 Ugh, Money- we spend so much time pursuing it, managing it and thinking about it. How much should you save, invest, and spend? If you're married, how much should go toward shopping verses your husband's golf game or hunting expenses? Who should pay the bills? Stress over money can make a person feel torn or drive a couple apart. We all know the financial strain of life is responsible for many failed marriages.

But in the end, money has no real, eternal value. It's ultimately worthless! it cannot save you or satisfy you, and it can distract you from what's really important! So the next time a conflict over money erupts in your heart- ask yourself; is it really worth the worry?

Closing this post a little differently... Here are some words to ponder... Things that have really stuck with me through my readings lately.

Encourage improvement in  one's accountability. Romans 14:12 says, "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God." We need to recognize God will judge the past, we are accountable for our words, and never forget that God sees everything!

For those who struggle with authority, Romans 13:1- "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except  that which God has established." Keep in mind, God gave authority to humans and God gives authority to rulers.

I believe the secret in contentment is simply trusting in God! "Keep your eyes free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." -- Hebrews 13:5  ........ One needs to set proper priorities to succeed! ! !

Make the commitment! Do not grow weary of doing good! Serve wholeheartedly! Set a goal and dont quit until you reach it!!! Seek the counsel of many advisers, dont be afraid to ask! Give back whatever you owe and then some.

Remember, the love of money causes discontent and trouble. Prioritize, place God before everything and all your blessings will follow!

Have a blessed day! :)

Faith in a Family's Changes..

                 This week we are going to discuss our family. Focusing mostly on acceptance, transformations, security and release within your immediate family.

 

While hunting for scripture I wanted to focus on this week, Sarah and Abraham caught my attention. Genesis 23:1-2; Genesis 25:1 tells us that “Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty seven years old. She died at Kiriath Arba….. Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.” Today, remarriage is such a common reality. But a second marriage brings added complications, especially when children are involved. Abraham remarried after Sarah died, and he and Keturah had six children together. In Abraham’s time, family relationships and inheritances were more strictly defined by culture, which eliminated some of the uncertainly and insecurity. But it didn’t alter the fact that it was difficult adjusting to major changes. And the same is true today. Kids in particular can be confused by remarriage and may want back to their old lives. We are called to accept each person in a blended family---- but it takes hard work, love and forgiveness.

My personal feelings on this are very widely spread, I do not believe in people staying together because it is for the children. I am also not a naive woman, I know that people change.. husbands and wives fall out of love.. it’s reality, we as woman must accept it. I don’t know how I would feel if Kory and I separated and he remarried.. It almost brings me to tears just typing it. I honestly believe God brought us together for many reasons and that we are meant to spend eternity as one. I know that I love Kory so much I would always want him to be happy. Being the selfless person that I am, I would never remarry. It’s a decision I made when I married Kory. I feel he is only person I was meant to marry and my feelings on that are very supported and I know that will never change. (Another {completely unrelated} example of these type of decisions that I have made, I would never want to be cremated…just as an example, it is what it is – won’t ever change.)  Back on topic, if we ever separated-- I would want Kory to go on and live a happy life.. if that means moving on and remarrying, so be it. I know it would be the hardest thing I ever would have to do, seeing him love another woman like he is supposed to love me, but again, I would always want him to be happy. I want our girls to know the true meaning of “happily ever after”. Marriage is hard work and it takes the love of two people to make it work. Sometimes people say, you shouldn’t have to “work” for your love/marriage –it should “just happen”.. I always chuckle.. those people 9 times out of 10—aren’t married and never have been!

“Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come close to me.’ When they had done so, he said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold in Egypt!” Genesis 45:4

It’s a fact, no family is perfect. But what exactly makes a home dysfunctional? A dysfunction is simply something that ceases to function correctly, right? When families stop protecting, loving and sharing with each other, they’ve lost their original function. Family members turn against each other, and a mountain of bitterness forms. The good news is that this process is reversible. Joseph’s family was a model of dysfunction, but after many years God transformed each member’s heart.

                           “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5

Growing up, most of us found security in our parents. It didn’t matter what happened as long as they hugged us and told us everything would be fine. As we got older, we realized our parents would fix every problem, but we still felt more secure knowing they were there. It hurts to think about living without them, let alone actually doing it. It’s one hard reality of these decades of life. Whenever you experience that loss, let it remind you to find security in God. He’s the only refuse you can count on in an ever-changing world!!!!!!

                    “Hatred stirs up dissension, but loves covers over all wrongs.” Proverbs 10:13

Sometimes, letting go is easier said than done! No matter how great your in-laws are, you’ll likely have conflict at some point. You may disagree where you spend holidays, how you discipline your child or even what church to attend. You may sometimes feel like the daughter in-law your in-laws wish they never had or maybe the opposite (as is in my case), I am confident that my in-laws are very blessed to have me as their daughter-in-law. However, some woman I know hate being in the same room with their “monster-in-law”. How you respond in certain situations will either bring you closer as a family or drive your further apart. When conflicts arise, ask yourself “Is it really worth the battle?” Learn to let go. For some, letting go is the hardest thing to ask them to do. In letting go, it doesn’t stop there.. refuse to dwell on it. Choose to not even see it anymore because you know that God’s love covers over your own wrongs.